My
object in coming north — Difficulty in procuring tea-plants — No
dependence can be placed upon the Chinese — Adopt the dress of the
country — Start for the interior — Mode of getting my head shaved
— City of Kea-hing-foo and its old cemetery — Lakes and "ling"
— Mode of gathering the "ling" — Great silk country —
Increase in exports — City of Seh-mun-yuen — Fear of thieves —
Hang-chow-foo — The "Garden of China" — Description of
the city and its suburbs — Gaiety of the people — Adventure in
the city — Kan-du — A "chop" — A Chinese inn — I
get no breakfast and lose my dinner — Boat engaged for Hwuy-chow —
Importance of Hang-chow both for trading and "squeezing."

MY
object in coming thus far north was to obtain seeds and plants of the
tea shrub for the Hon. East India Company's plantations in the
north-west provinces of India. It was a matter of great importance to
procure them from those districts in China where the best teas were
produced, and I now set about accomplishing this object. There were
various tea districts near Ning-po where very fair green teas were
prepared for Chinese use; but these teas were not very well suited to
the foreign market. It might be that the plant was precisely the same
variety from which the finer sorts were made, and that the difference
consisted only in climate, in soil, or, more likely still, in a
different mode of manipulation. This might or might not be the case;
no one, so far as I knew, had ever visited the Hwuy-chow district and
brought away plants from the tea hills there. In these circumstances
I considered that it would be a most unsatisfactory proceeding to
procure plants and seeds from the Ning-po district only, or to take
it for granted that they were the same as those in the great
green-tea country of Hwuy-chow.

It
was a very easy matter to get plants and seeds from the tea countries
near Ning-po. Foreigners are allowed to visit the islands in the
Chusan archipelago, such as Chusan and Kin-tang, in both of which the
tea shrub is most abundant. They can also go to the celebrated temple
of Tein-tung, about twenty miles inland, in the neighbourhood of
which tea is cultivated upon an extensive scale.

But
the Hwuy-chow district is upwards of 200 miles inland from either of
the northern ports of Shanghae or Ning-po. It is a sealed country to
Europeans. If we except the Jesuit missionaries, no one has ever
entered within the sacred precincts of Hwuy-chow.1

Having
determined, if possible, to procure plants and seeds from this
celebrated country, there were but two ways of proceeding in the
business. Either Chinese agents must be employed to go into the
country to procure them and bring them down, or I must go there
myself. At first sight the former way seemed the only one possible —
certainly it was the easiest. But there were some very formidable
objections to this course. Suppose I had engaged Chinese agents for
this purpose — and plenty would have undertaken the mission — how
could I be at all certain that the plants or seeds which they would
have brought me had been obtained in the districts in question? No
dependence can be placed upon the veracity of the Chinese. I may seem
uncharitable, but such is really the case; and if it suited the
purpose of the agents employed in this matter they would have gone a
few miles inland to the nearest tea district — one which I could
have visited myself with ease and safety — and have made up their
collection there. After staying away for a month or two they would
have returned to me with the collection, and, if requisite, have
sworn that they had obtained it in the country to which I had desired
them to proceed. It is just possible that they might have done
otherwise; but even if they had I could not have been certain that
such was the case, and I therefore abandoned all idea of managing the
business in that way, and determined to make an effort to penetrate
into the Hwuy-chow country myself, where I could not only procure the
true plants which produce the finest green teas of commerce, but also
gain some information with regard to the nature of the soil of the
district and the best modes of cultivation.

I
had two Hwuy-chow men in my service at this time. I sent for them,
and inquired whether it was possible to penetrate so far into the
country. They replied that we could easily do so, and that they were
quite willing to accompany me, only stipulating that I should discard
my English costume and adopt the dress of the country. I knew that
this was indispensable if I wished to accomplish the object in view,
and readily acceded to the terms.

My
servants now procured me a Chinese dress, and had the tail which I
had worn in former years nicely dressed by the barber. Everything was
soon in readiness except the boat which had to be engaged for the
first stage of our journey. This was, just then, a difficult matter,
owing to some boatmen having been severely punished by the Chinese
authorities for taking three or four foreigners some distance inland
to see the silk districts. These gentlemen went in the English dress,
and complaints were consequently made by the officers in the
districts through which they passed to the mandarins in Shanghae. On
this account it was impossible to engage a boat as a foreigner, and I
desired my servant to hire it in his own name, and merely state that
two other persons were to accompany him. He agreed to this plan, and
soon returned with a "chop," or agreement, which he had
entered into with a man who engaged to take us as far as the city of
Hangchow-foo.

Thus
far all was right; but now my two men began to be jealous of each
other, each wanting to manage the concern, with the view, as it
proved ultimately, of getting as many dollars out of me as possible.
One of them had been engaged as a servant and linguist, and the other
was little better than a common coolie. I therefore intrusted the
management of our affairs to the former, much to the disgust of the
other, who was an older man. In an ordinary case I would have sent
one of them away, but, as I had but little confidence in either, I
thought that in their present jealous state the one would prove a
check upon the other. The projected journey was a long one, the way
was unknown to me, and I should have been placed in an awkward
position had they agreed to rob me, and then run off and leave me
when far inland. The jealous feeling that existed between them was
therefore, I considered, rather a safeguard than otherwise.

As
I was anxious to keep the matter as secret as possible, I intended to
have left the English part of the town at night in a chair, and gone
on board the boat near to the east gate of the city, where she lay
moored in the river. Greatly to my surprise, however, I observed a
boat, such as I knew mine to be, alongside of one of the English
jetties, and apparently ready for my reception. "Is that the
boat that you have engaged?" said I to my servant Wang. "Yes,"
said he, "that coolie has gone and told the boatman all about
the matter, and that an Englishman is going in his boat." "But
will the boatman consent to go now?" "Oh! yes," he
replied, "if you will only add a trifle more to the fare."
To this I consented, and, after a great many delays, everything was
at last pronounced to be ready for our starting. As the boatman knew
who I was, I went on board in my English dress, and kept it on during
the first day.

When
I rose on the morning of the second day, we were some distance from
Shanghae, and the boatman suggested that it was now time to discard
the English dress, and adopt that of the country, according to our
agreement. To put on the dress was an easy matter, but I had also to
get my head shaved — an operation which required a barber. Wang,
who was the most active of my two men, was laid up that morning with
fever and ague, so that the duty devolved upon the coolie. The latter
was a large-boned, clumsy fellow, whose only recommendation to me was
his being a native of that part of the country to which I was bound.
Having procured a pair of scissors, he clipped the hair from the
front, back, and sides of my head, leaving only a patch upon the
crown. He then washed those parts with hot water, after the manner of
the Chinese, and, having done so, he took up a small razor and began
to shave my head. I suppose I must have been the first person upon
whom he had ever operated, and I am charitable enough to wish most
sincerely that I may be the last. He did not shave, he actually
scraped my poor head until the tears came running down my cheeks, and
I cried out with pain. All he said was, "Hai-yah — very bad,
very bad," and continued the operation. To make matters worse,
and to try my temper more, the boatmen were peeping into the cabin
and evidently enjoying the whole affair, and thinking it capital
sport. I really believe I should have made a scene of a less amusing
kind had I not been restrained by prudential motives, and by the
consideration that the poor coolie was really doing the best he
could. The shaving was finished at last; I then dressed myself in the
costume of the country, and the result was pronounced by my servants
and boatmen to be very satisfactory.

The
whole country to the westward of Shanghae is intersected with rivers
and canals, so that the traveller can visit by boat almost all the
towns and cities in this part of the province. Some of the canals
lead to the large cities of Sung-kiang-foo, Soo-chow-foo, Nanking,
and onward by the Grand Canal to the capital itself. Others, again,
running to the west and south-west, form the highways to the Tartar
city of Chapoo, Hang-chow-foo, and to numerous other cities and
towns, which are studded over this large and important plain.

We
proceeded in a south-westerly direction — my destination being the
city of Hang-chow-foo. Having a fair wind during the first day, we
got as far as the Maou lake, a distance of 120 or 130 le2
from Shanghae. Here we stopped for the night, making our boat fast to
a post driven into the grassy banks of the lake. Starting early next
morning, we reached in the forenoon a town of considerable size,
named Kea-hing-yuen, and a little farther on we came to the city of
Kea-hing-foo, a large place walled and fortified.

This
city seems nearly as large as Shanghae, and probably contains about
the same number of inhabitants — 270,000. Its walls and ramparts
had been in a most dilapidated and ruinous condition, but the people
got such a fright when the English took Chapoo — which is not a
very great distance off — that they came forward with funds, and
had the defences of their city substantially repaired. Such was the
boatmen's story when accounting for the excellent order in which the
fortifications were. A number of old grain junks, of great size
considering the depth of water, are moored in the canal abreast of
the city, and are apparently used as dwelling-houses by the natives;
some, however, are half sunk in the water, and appear entirely
abandoned. Junks of the same description as these are seen abreast of
all the large towns on the grand canal. When too old for the
Government service they seem to be drawn up to the nearest city, and
either used by Government officers as dwelling-houses, or sold to the
highest bidder.

We
had now entered the great Hang-chow silk district, and the mulberry
was observed in great abundance on the banks of the canal, and in
patches over all the country.

I
was greatly struck with the appearance of a cemetery on the western
side of the city of Kea-hing-foo, not very far from the city walls.
Its large extent gave a good idea of the numerous and dense
population of the town. It had evidently existed for many ages, for a
great number of the tombstones were crumbling to pieces, and mingling
with the ashes of the dead. But this "place of skulls" was
no barren waste, like those churchyards which we see in large towns
at home. Here the dead were interred amidst groves of the
weeping willow, mulberry-trees, and several species
of juniper and pine. Wild roses and creepers of various kinds were
scrambling over the tombs, and the whole place presented a hallowed
and pleasing aspect.

Leaving
the old town behind us, and sailing westward, we entered a broad
sheet of water of considerable size, which is probably part of, or at
least joins, the celebrated Tai-ho lake. The water is very shallow,
and a great part of it is covered with the Trapa
bicornis — a plant called
ling
by the Chinese. It produces a fruit of a very peculiar shape,
resembling the head and horns of a bullock, and is highly esteemed in
all parts of the empire. I have seen three distinct species or
varieties, one of which has fruit of a beautiful red colour.

Women
and boys were sailing about on all parts of the lake, in tubs of the
same size and form as our common washing-tubs, gathering the fruit of
the ling.
I don't know of any contrivance which would have answered their
purpose better than these rude tubs, they held the fruit as it was
gathered as well as the gatherer, and at the same time were easily
propelled through the masses of ling
without doing the plants any injury. The sight of a number of people
swimming about on the lake, each in his tub, had something very
ludicrous about it.

After
we had passed the lake, the banks of the canal, and indeed the
greater part of the country, were covered with mulberry trees. Silk
is evidently the staple production in this part of China. During the
space of two days — and in that time I must have travelled upwards
of a hundred miles — I saw little else than mulberry trees. They
were evidently carefully cultivated, and in the highest state of
health, producing fine, large, and glossy leaves. When it is
remembered that I was going in a straight direction through the
country, some idea may be formed of the extent of this enormous silk
district, which probably occupies a circle of at least a hundred
miles in diameter. And this, it must be remembered, is only one of
the silk districts in China, but it is the principal and the best
one. The merchant and silk-manufacturer will form a good idea of the
quantity of silk consumed in China, when told that, after the war, on
the port of Shanghae being opened, the exports of raw silk increased
in two or three years from 3000 to 20,000 bales. This fact shows, I
think, the enormous quantity which must have been in the Chinese
market before the extra demand could have been so easily supplied.
But as it is with tea, so it is with silk, — the quantity exported
bears but a small proportion to that consumed by the Chinese
themselves. The 17,000 extra bales sent yearly out of the country
have not in the least degree affected the price of raw silk or of
silk manufactures. This fact speaks for itself.

Seh-mun-yuen,
a town about 140 le north-east from Hang-chow-foo, was the next place
of any note which I passed. It is apparently a very ancient city, but
has no trade, and is altogether in a most dilapidated condition. The
walls were completely overrun with wild shrubs, and in many places
were crumbling into ruins. It had evidently seen better and more
prosperous days, which had long ago passed by. The boatmen informed
me that this part of the country abounded in thieves and robbers, and
that they must not all go to bed at night, otherwise something would
be stolen from the boat before morning.

We
reached the city about three o'clock in the afternoon. The morning
had been cold and rainy, and the boatmen, who were all wet to the
skin, refused to proceed further that day. I was therefore obliged to
make up my mind to stay there all that night, and a more disagreeable
one I never spent. After dark my servants and the boatmen told
stories of celebrated pirates and robbers, until they frightened
themselves, and almost made me believe myself to be in dangerous
company. The wind was very high, and, as it whistled amongst the
ruinous ramparts, the sound was dismal enough; and what added still
more to our discomfort, the rain beat through the roof of our boat,
and kept dripping upon our beds.

Before
retiring to sleep it had been arranged that my coolie and one of the
boatmen were to sit and keep watch during the night for our
protection from thieves. The coolie's station was inside the boat,
where I was, and the other man was to keep watch in the after-part of
the boat, where the cooking department was carried on. How long these
sentries kept watch I cannot tell, but when I awoke, some time before
the morning dawned, the dangers of the place seemed to be completely
forgotten, except perhaps in their dreams, for I found them sound
asleep. The other men were also sleeping heavily, and no one seemed
to have harmed us during our slumbers. I now roused the whole of
them, and, the morning being fine, we proceeded on our journey
towards the city of Hang-chow-foo.

During
this three days' journey we had been passing through a perfectly
level country, having seen only three or four small hills near the
city of Sung-kiang-foo. Now, however, the scene began to change, and
the hills which gird this extensive plain on the west and south-west
sides came into view. We passed a town named Tan-see, which is on the
side of the grand canal on which we were now sailing. Tan-see is a
bustling town of considerable size, a few miles to the north-east of
Hang-chow-foo. The appearance of the flat country here was rich and
beautiful. Still the mulberry was seen extensively cultivated on all
the higher patches of ground, and rice occupied the low wet land.

As
we approached Hang-chow the vegetation of the country was richer and
under a higher state of cultivation than any which had come under my
notice in other parts of China. It reminded me of the appearance
which those highly cultivated spots present near our large market
towns in England. Here were beautiful groves of the loquat
(Eriobotrya japonica),
yang-mai (Myrica
sp.), peaches, plums, oranges, and all the fruits of Central China,
in a high state of cultivation.

The
country around Hang-chow-foo may well be called "the garden of
China." The grand canal, with its numerous branches, not only
waters it, but also affords the means of travelling through it, and
of conveying the productions for which it is famous to other
districts. The hills in the background, the beautiful bay which comes
up to the town and stretches far away towards the ocean, and the
noble river which here falls into the bay, all contribute to render
the scenery strikingly beautiful.

On
the evening of the 22nd
of October I approached the suburbs of Hang-chow-foo — one of the
largest and most flourishing cities in the richest district of the
Chinese empire. The Chinese authorities have always been most jealous
of foreigners approaching or entering this town. It is generally
supposed that, in addition to the natural antipathy which they
manifest to the "outside barbarians," they have a
custom-house here in which they levy duties on merchandise imported
or exported by foreigners, which duties are opposed to the terms of
the treaty of Nanking. They know well enough that, if foreigners were
allowed to come here, this system of extortion would soon be exposed
and broken up.

As
I drew nearer the city, everything which came under my observation
marked it as a place of great importance. The grand canal was deep
and wide, and bore on its waters many hundreds of boats of different
sizes, all engaged in an active bustling trade. Many of these were
sailing in the same direction as ourselves, whilst others were
leaving the city and hurrying onwards in the direction of Soo-chow,
Hoo-chow, Kea-hing, and other towns. Canals were seen branching off
from the grand canal in all directions, and forming the high roads of
the country.

When
I reached the end of this part of my journey my boatmen drew up and
moored the boat amongst thousands of the same class, and, it being
now nearly dark, I determined to rest there for the night. When the
next morning dawned, and I had time to take a survey of our position,
I found that we had been moored on the edge of a large broad basin of
water which terminates the grand canal. As I had nothing to do in the
city, and merely wanted to pass onwards on my journey to the
green-tea country, I did not wish to run the risk of passing through
it. Before leaving Shanghae, when consulting the map and fixing my
route, I asked if it were possible to get to the mouth of the
Hang-chow river without actually passing through the city itself.
Both my men informed me that this was quite easy, and even protested
strongly against my entering the town. They said we could go by the
See-hoo lake, at which place we could leave the Shanghae boat, and
then proceed on foot or in chairs a distance of 30 le. By this means
we should merely skirt the town, and attain the object we had in
view. This plan seemed feasible enough. When we reached the suburbs
of Hang-chow, therefore, not knowing the locality, I naturally
supposed that we were at See-hoo, which is only a part of the
suburbs. This, however, was not the case.

Wang,
who had been sent on shore at daybreak to procure a chair, and
coolies for our luggage, now came back and informed me that he had
succeeded in arranging all this at an inn hard by, to which we must
now go. Leaving the boat, we walked up a crowded street for nearly a
quarter of a mile, and then entered the inn in question. No one took
the slightest notice of me, a circumstance which gave me a good deal
of confidence, and led me to conclude that I was dressed in a proper
manner, and that I made a pretty good Chinaman.

Our
Shanghae boatmen accompanied us, carrying our luggage; indeed I
believe they had recommended us to the inn at which we had now
arrived. To my astonishment they at once informed their friend the
innkeeper that I was a foreigner. Having been paid their fare, they
had nothing more to expect, and I suppose could not contain the
secret any longer. I now expected that some difficulties would be
experienced in procuring a chair, either through fear of the
mandarins, or with the view of extorting money. The old man, who made
his living by letting chairs and selling tea, took everything very
quietly, and did not seem to despise a good customer, even if he was
a foreigner. A chair was soon ready for me to proceed on my journey.
The bearers were paid by the master of the house to take me one stage
— about half way — and a sum of money was given them to engage
another chair for the remainder of the journey, to a place called
Kan-du, which is situated on the banks of the large river which here
falls into the bay of Hang-chow.

Everything
being satisfactorily arranged, I stepped into the chair, and,
desiring my two servants to follow me, proceeded along the narrow
streets at a rapid pace. After travelling in this way for about a
mile, and expecting every moment to get out into the open country, I
was greatly surprised by finding that I was getting more and more
into a dense town. For the first time I began to suspect that my
servants were deceiving me, and that I was to pass through the city
of Hang-chow after all. These suspicions were soon confirmed by the
appearance of the walls and ramparts of the city. It was now too late
to object to this procedure, and I thought the best way to act was to
let matters take their course and remain passive in the business.

We
passed through the gates into the city. It seemed an ancient place:
the walls and ramparts were high and in excellent repair, and the
gates were guarded as usual by a number of soldiers. Its main street,
through which I passed, is narrow when compared with streets in
European towns; but it is well paved, and reminded me of the main
street of Ning-po. Hang-chow, however, is a place of much greater
importance than Ning-po, both in a political and mercantile point of
view. It is the chief town of the Chekiang province, and is the
residence of many of the principal mandarins and officers of
government, as well as of many of the great merchants. It has been
remarked not unfrequently, when comparing the towns of Shanghae and
Ning-po, that the former is a trading place, and the latter a place
of great wealth. Hang-chow-foo has both these advantages combined.
Besides, it is a fashionable place, and is to the province of
Chekiang what Soo-chow-foo is to Kiang-nan. Du Halde quotes an old
proverb which significantly says that "Paradise is above,
but below
are Soo-chow and Hang-chow."

The
walls of this terrestrial paradise are said to be forty le in
circumference, that is, about eight English miles. Although there are
a great many gardens and open spaces inside, yet the extent of the
city is very great, and in many parts the population is most dense.
The suburbs also are very extensive, and must contain a very large
population. Sir George Staunton supposed that the population of the
city and suburbs was equal to that of Peking, and Du Halde estimates
it at a million of souls.

The
houses bear a striking resemblance to those of Ning-po, Soo-chow, and
other northern towns. Were I set down blindfolded in the main street
of one of these Chinese towns, even in one which I knew well, and the
bandage removed from my eyes, I should have great difficulty in
saying where I was. There are doubtless distinctions with which the
"barbarian" eye is unacquainted, but which would be plain
enough to a Chinese.

I
observed in many parts of the city triumphal arches, monuments to
great men, and gorgeous-looking Buddhist temples; but although these
buildings have a certain degree of interest about them, and many of
them are certainly curious, yet as works of art they are not to be
compared with the buildings of the same class which one meets with at
home.

The
shops in the main streets have their fronts entirely removed by day,
so that the passenger may have an opportunity of seeing and of
forming a good idea of the wares which are for sale. I observed many
shops where gold and silver ornaments and valuable Jade stone were
exposed for sale. Old curiosity shops were numerous, and contained
articles of great value amongst the Chinese, such as ancient
porcelain jars, bronzes, carved bamboo, jars cut out of the beautiful
Jade stone, and a variety of other things of like description. I
observed some large silk-shops as I passed along, and, judging from
the number of people in the town who wear silk dresses, they must
have a thriving trade. Everything, indeed, which met the eye, stamped
Hang-chow-foo as a place of wealth and luxury. As usual in all the
Chinese towns which I have visited, there were a vast number of tea
and eating houses for the middle classes and the poor. They did not
seem to lack customers, for they were all crowded with hundreds of
natives, who, for a few cash or "tseen," can obtain a
healthy and substantial meal.

Besides
the officers of Government, merchants, shopkeepers, and common
labourers connected with any of these professions, the city contains
a large manufacturing population. Silk is the staple article of
manufacture. Du Halde estimates the numbers engaged in this operation
at sixty thousand. I observed a great number employed in the reeling
process, and others were busily engaged with the beautiful embroidery
for which this part of China is so famous.

The
people of Hang-chow dress gaily, and are remarkable amongst the
Chinese for their dandyism. All except the lowest labourers and
coolies strutted about in dresses composed of silk, satin, and crape.
My Chinese servants were one day contrasting the natives of Hang-chow
in this respect with those of the more inland parts from which they
came. They said there were many rich men in their country, but they
all dressed plainly and modestly, while the natives of Hang-chow,
both rich and poor, were never contented unless gaily dressed in
silks and satins. "Indeed," said they, "one can never
tell a rich man in Hang-chow, for it is just possible that all he
possesses in the world is on his back."

When
we were about half way through the city the chairmen set me down, and
informed me that they went no farther. I got out and looked round for
my servants, from whom I expected an explanation, for I had
understood that the chairmen had been paid to take me the whole way
through. My servants, however, were nowhere to be seen — they had
either gone some other road, or, what was more probable, had
intentionally kept out of the way in case of any disturbance. I was
now in a dilemma, and did not clearly see my way out of it. Much to
my surprise and pleasure, however, another chair was brought me, and
I was informed that I was to proceed in it. I now understood how the
business had been managed. The innkeeper had intrusted the first
bearers with a sum of money sufficient to hire another chair for the
second stage of the journey. Part of this sum, however, had been
spent by them in tea and tobacco as we came along, and the second
bearers could not be induced to take me on for the sum which was
left. A brawl now ensued between the two sets of chairmen, which was
noisy enough; but as such things are quite common in China, it
seemed, fortunately for me, to attract but little notice. The
situation in which I was now placed was rather critical, and far from
an enviable one. Had it been known that a foreigner was in the very
heart of the city of Hang-chow-foo, a mob would have soon collected,
and the consequences might have been serious.

"Take
things coolly and never lose your temper" should be the motto of
every one who attempts to travel in China. This is always the best
plan, for, if you allow things to take their course, ten to one you
will get out of a dilemma like that in which I was now placed; but if
you attempt to interfere, you will probably make matters worse. These
were the principles on which I generally acted; but in the present
instance I was not allowed to carry them out to their fullest extent.

I
had taken my seat in the second chair, and was patiently waiting
until such time as the first men could give the second satisfactory
reasons for spending part of their cash in tea and tobacco. The first
notice, however, which I received of the unsuccessful result of this
attempt, was an intimation that I was to be ejected from the chair. I
knew this would not do, as from my imperfect knowledge of the
language I might have some difficulty in finding another conveyance,
and I did not know one foot of the way which I was going. I was
therefore obliged to inquire into the dispute, and put an end to it
by promising to pay the difference when we arrived at the end of our
stage. This was evidently what the first rascals had been calculating
upon; but it had the effect of stopping all further disputes, and my
bearers shouldered their burthen and jogged onwards.

The
distance from the basin of the Grand Canal to the river on the
opposite side is 28 or 30 le, between five and six miles. After
leaving the city behind us, we passed through a pretty undulating
country for about two miles, and then entered the town of Kan-du,
which is built along the banks of the river Tcien-tang-kiang,
sometimes called the Green River, which here falls into the Bay of
Hang-chow. Kan-du is the seaport of Hang-chow.

I
had seen nothing of my servants during the whole way, and was
beginning to expect a scene or adventure at the end of this part of
the journey. The chair-bearers spoke a peculiar dialect, which I
could scarcely make out, and I kept wondering as we went along what
would happen next. The only thing I could make out was, that they
were taking me to a Hong-le,
but what a Hong-le was, was beyond my comprehension.

To
carry out my own principles and trust to circumstances seemed to be
the only way of proceeding, and I gave myself very little uneasiness
about the result. At length I heard the men say that here was the
Hong-le, and, as I was about to look and see what this might be, the
chair was set down, and it was intimated to me that we had reached
the end of the journey. Greatly to my surprise and pleasure I now
found that this Hong-le was a quiet and comfortable Chinese inn,
which was frequented by passengers from all parts of the country.
Getting out of my chair, I walked quietly up to the farther end of
the large hall, and began to look amongst a number of packages which
were heaped up there for my own luggage. I had seen nothing of either
that or my servants since I left the former inn. It had arrived,
however, quite safely, having been sent on by a coolie before me, and
in a few minutes my two men also made their appearance.

We
now informed the innkeeper that we wanted to go up the river to
Hwuy-chow, and made inquiries regarding a boat. We soon found that it
was part of his trade to give "chops," or to "secure"
boatmen. Everything is done upon this plan in China. When a servant
is engaged, or a boat hired, it is always necessary for the said
servant or boatman to produce some respectable householder, who for a
certain sum becomes bound for him in a written "chop" or
agreement. This "chop" is handed over to the master of the
servant, or to the hirer of the boat, who retains it until his
contract is satisfactorily fulfilled. This system is practised
universally amongst the Chinese, who seem to have no faith in the
lower orders of the people.

I
quickly despatched Wang to look after a boat, and desired him to
bring the boatman with him to the inn, to have his agreement drawn up
and signed. The other man ran out along with him, and I was again
left in a strange place amongst strangers.

The
inn in which I was located was a large old building, pleasantly
situated on the banks of the Green River. All the lower part formed a
sort of shed or warehouse, which was filled with goods of various
kinds and the luggage of passengers. At the upper end of this
apartment a table was placed in the middle of the floor, and served
for the host and his guests to dine upon. Around this table were
sitting five or six respectable-looking Chinese merchants smoking
from long bamboo pipes, and discussing the news of the day and the
state of trade. These men politely made way for me at the table. I
took the seat offered, and to be neighbour-like commenced smoking as
fast as any of them. In other parts of the warehouse the servants of
these men, and other travelling servants, were lolling about, or
sound asleep upon the chairs or goods. No one seemed to take any
particular notice of me, and I soon sat perfectly at my ease.

A
little incident happened which gave me some uneasiness at the time,
but at which I have often had a good laugh since. Preparations began
to be made for dinner, and the travellers who were seated around the
table arose and wandered about the other parts of the house. It was
mid-day, and, as I had eaten no breakfast; I felt rather hungry. In
these circumstances it may be thought that the appearance of dinner
would have afforded me some pleasure. This, however, was not the
case, and for the following reason: I had not eaten with chop-sticks
for three years, and I had no confidence in my talents in the use of
them. This important circumstance had not struck me before, otherwise
I would have practised all the way from Shanghae to Hang-chow, and
might have been proficient by this time. As it was I was quite
certain that I should draw the eyes of the Chinamen upon me, for
nothing would astonish them so much as a person using the chop-sticks
in an awkward manner. I was therefore obliged, reluctantly I confess,
to abandon all ideas of a dinner on that day.

Meanwhile
the dishes were placed upon the table, and the guests were called by
their names and requested to sit down. "Sing Wa, Sing Wa"
(the name I bore amongst the Chinese), "come and sit down to
dinner." I felt much inclined to break my resolution and sit
down, but prudence came to my aid, and I replied, "No, I thank
you, I shall dine by and by, when my servants come back." I
believe it is common enough for travellers to dine at different hours
and in different ways, according to circumstances, so that my refusal
did not seem to attract much notice.

A
short time afterwards my servants returned, bringing a boatman with
them to have a chop made out, and to have him "secured" by
the innkeeper. As soon as this was done to our satisfaction we left
the inn and walked down to the boat, which lay alongside of one of
the wharfs at the river side. Several other passengers had also
arrived, and we were all to sleep on board, as the boat was to start
at daybreak on the following morning. To me this had been an exciting
and adventurous day, and I was not sorry when the darkness closed
around us and we all retired to rest.

The
river Tcien-tang-kiang, on which I was now, has its sources far away
amongst the mountains to the westward. One of its branches rises
amongst the green-tea hills of Hwuy-chow, another near to the town of
Changshan, on the borders of Kiang-see, and a third on the northern
side of the Bohea mountains. These streams unite in their course to
the eastward, and, passing Hang-chow, fall into the bay which bears
the same name. All the green and black tea comes down this river on
its way to Shanghae, and at Hang-chow is transhipped from the
river-boats into those which ply upon the Grand Canal. The importance
of Hang-chow-foo, in a mercantile point of view, is therefore very
great. All goods from the south and westward must of necessity pass
through this town on their way to the large and populous districts
about Soo-chow, Sung-kiang, and Shanghae. In the same manner all
foreign imports, and the products of the low countries, such as silk
and cotton, in going to the southward and westward, must also pass
through Hang-chow. It therefore appears to be like a great gate on a
public highway, through which nothing can pass or repass without the
consent and cognizance of the authorities.

The
power which this place gives the Chinese authorities over our imports
and exports through Shanghae is very great, and hence complaints of
stoppages and illegal charges, or "squeezes,"
have been not unfrequent. The day cannot be very far distant when we
shall be allowed to trade and travel in China as in other countries —
when all those foolish regulations regarding boundary-lines will be
swept away; but, in the event of these changes being gradual, it may
be a question whether our Government should not endeavour to open the
town of Hang-chow-foo, or at all events have a consular agent there
for the encouragement and protection of our trade.

1
Since this was written I have been informed that the Rev. Mr.
Medhurst passed through some part of this district.

2
A le has generally been
set down as the third part of an English mile, but if we suppose a
fourth, or even a fifth, we shall be nearer the truth.